Mari K. Eder's Blog, page 8

Witness to History: Rescue and Survival

While not typically considered a war correspondent, the iconic Ruth Gruber definitely lived the aphorism – “Journalism is the first rough draft of history.” Her career as a reporter was not merely to serve as a person witnessing history but as a participant in its struggles.

Her lifetime of ‘firsts’ began with her education. At the age of 20, she became the youngest person in the world to earn a doctoral degree. Ruth earned that degree in Cologne, Germany in 1931. The Brooklyn New York girl had already experienced a number of firsts – graduating high school at the age of 15, from New York University at 18, and then blew through a Masters Degree in American and German Literature at the University of Wisconsin. A scholarship took her to Germany where she experienced the unrest, protests, rallies and the beginnings of Hitler’s rise to power.

Romance Made it Possible

“How can a man fall in love with a girl in a painting?” A romance novel asked that provocative question on its back cover. The teaser worked; it was a book I just had to have. The Girl in The Blue Dress was originally published by Harlequin in 1947 and cost the grand sum of seventy-five cents. At some later point it was resold for a paltry forty cents but I was lucky to find this gem online for well, a bit more than that. But it was the author I was interested in.

Creating Conversations with Natasha Lester and Major General Mari K. Eder

A few weeks ago I was privileged to be part of Creating Conversations Bookstore’s event with acclaimed author Natasha Lester. Her bestselling book, “The Rivera House” has just been published and we were able to share insights – fiction and nonfiction, WWII heroines, and impacts today.

It was a special conversation indeed.

If you missed seeing it live, with her on the west coast of Australia and me on the east coast of the U.S., brought together at Creating Conversations in Redondo Beach, CA – you can watch it below!

Lincoln As Strategist: Exercising the Elements of National Power

WAR ROOM welcomes back featured contributor Mari K. Eder to take a look at the strategic accomplishments of President Abraham Lincoln. Inspired by a print of Lincoln signing the famous Lieber Code, Mari examines how each of the President’s strategic actions were designed to preserve the Union. From the Land Grant College Act to the Emancipation Proclamation, to the Lieber Code itself, Lincoln employed all elements of national power at his disposal to try and bring the Confederate states back to the Union and end the war.

Working Girls

My new book, The Girls Who Stepped Out of Line, features the stories of a handful of women who changed the course of war during the interminable years of 1940 to 1945. Over the course of my research, I encountered thousands.

And I went deep into their life stories—those who survived the Holocaust and the Japanese internment camps; those who fought in the Resistance, smuggling people out of harm’s way; and those who served in uniform or as war correspondents.

I was fascinated with the resilience of these women and with their pure, unadulterated grit. They just put their heads down and got it done. Typical of their generation, they didn’t expect awards or even thanks. Good thing, too, because they didn’t get any.

I found many of these women through their obituaries. By 2019, the oldest members of the Greatest Generation were passing in large numbers and many of their stories were being revealed for the first time.

Time Moves On…

Twenty years ago I was living and working in Germany. I’d just been back to the states for two weeks, to complete the national security studies program and graduate from the Army War College, despite a boss who didn’t want me to make the trip. Thankfully I didn’t listen to him. But I’d just returned to work, when that bright and beautiful day in September, everything changed.

I had the TV on in my office, watching CNN International live as the second plane slammed into the twin towers in New York. Then carnage unfolded at the Pentagon. We all just stopped, stared, and sank down into our chairs, unable to do anything but watch. Some tried frantically to call friends or family. No one could get through.

This Pioneering Officer Led an All-Black Women’s Army Corps Battalion in a Daunting World War II Mission: Saving Soldiers’ Mail

Charity Adams was already on her way to the European theater in January 1945, and there was a sealed envelope on her lap. It was time to find out where she was going. She tore open the sealed orders and gasped. It was the job every officer coveted: command, troop time, and being in charge. Adams, who had been the highest-ranking Black officer at Fort Des Moines, Iowa, had commanded a training company, which was a good experience, but to be selected to command a battalion—a brand-new unit—overseas during wartime was a tremendous vote of confidence in her abilities. It was every opportunity she could have hoped for.

A Great Evening for A Party

It was a beautiful late summer evening in Salzburg, Austria, perfect for a celebration and new beginnings. General Mark Clark, former Commander of 5th U.S. Army, now the Commander of U.S. Occupational Forces in Austria had just revived the Salzburg Music Festival. It was August 1945 and the war in Europe had been over for just a little over two months. Time to get back to normal.

Music festivals had been held in Salzburg at irregular intervals since the late 1800s. The events were interrupted by World War I and again by WWII. Starting the tradition again seemed a perfect way to illustrate the Austrian concept of “Live and let live” and to begin a transition back to some semblance of regular life. There were plays and concerts and of course orchestral music, featuring Austria’s most famous composer, Mozart. The majority of tickets for festival events were passed out to U.S. soldiers. The remainder went to local citizens.

Clark’s special guests included his counterparts, commanders from other allied nations, the U.K., Russia, and France. It was a win-win for the city and for the occupiers – Clark was bringing the allies together, showcasing Austrian music, American hospitality and creating opportunities for not just conversation but cooperation.

Mari Eder Was an Army ‘Unicorn’

When Mari K. Eder, a retired major general, was coming up in the U.S. Army, she was called a unicorn, she says. Serving at a time when combat commands weren’t yet open to women, she held training and professional commands at the company, battalion, brigade and division levels for 36 years before retiring in 2013. She knew she stood out: In meetings at the Pentagon, her male colleagues would check to make sure she was wearing her uniform correctly. When she toured with fellow generals overseas, she was often the only woman.

The Time to Build America’s ‘Smart’ Military is Now

Recently, the Pentagon released its 2022 budget, which provided Americans a look into what the Biden administration plans to prioritize and the steps we are taking to bolster our nation’s defense.

A crucial part of the budget and the Department of Defense’s strategy to modernize is Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2), a revolutionary program that aims to increase communication between the Armed Forces by connecting sensors from all the military services – Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Space Force – into a single network. This promise of greater interconnectivity between the branches of the military will revolutionize how the Department of Defense manages, secures, and leverages data as a strategic defense asset and help create a “smart” military.